Jason Jaffray is finding some solace in watching Peyton Manning make a triumphant comeback.

And not for fantasy football purposes either.

The St. John’s IceCaps forward has something in common with the Denver Broncos pivot, having endured spinal fusion neck surgery back on Apr. 18 after taking a check-from-behind from Norfolk Admirals defenceman Radko Gudas in a game in late March.

Jaffray even consulted Robert Watkins, the LA-based doctor who performed Manning’s surgery, before getting the procedure done in Winnipeg.

After going under the knife, a full recovery for his neck was going to take six months and Jaffray can now count the days, not just the weeks.

“It was a long summer, I was doing physio three and four times a week and doing ordinary stuff, strengthening the muscles in the neck, very basic things,” said Jaffray, who had one assist in 13 games with the Winnipeg Jets and 17 goals and 38 points in 47 games with the St. John’s IceCaps last season. “It’s something that needed to be done. In talking to people who’ve had the injury, people that didn’t do their physio were still having problems. I always had that in the back of my head, I wasn’t going to miss a day. Just keep on this and get healthy again.”

Jaffray, 31, has been cleared for full contact by doctors, but won’t be participating in any of the three exhibition games this week with the Syracuse Crunch.

However, he’s holding out hope that not many regular-season games will be missed.

“It’s been a long process and I’m itching to get back. It’s great to be out there with the guys,” said Jaffray, who is on an American Hockey League contract this season. “It’s nice to be able to get hit again and not baby it around the rink.”

Although the IceCaps reached the Eastern Conference final last spring, Jaffray’s absence was duly noted.

“You can’t replace a player like Jason Jaffray, with his leadership and what he brings on the ice,” said IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge. “When he went down late in the regular season, we knew that was a huge void to fill. To hear all of the positive strides that he’s made during the summer, to see him skating and taking contact, for a guy that’s had an opportunity to coach him the past couple of years, it brings a smile to your face.”

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